


can i show you something beautiful?

by gryffnwhore



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: F/M, Fluff, azula hates the cold, post redemption arc azula, soft, zutara on the side
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-22
Updated: 2020-07-22
Packaged: 2021-03-04 20:42:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,525
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25412590
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gryffnwhore/pseuds/gryffnwhore
Summary: it’s similar the way she treats his land, the way she had treated him. azula does not like the southern water tribe, and more importantly, she does not like the cold. but just as her feelings for the weather and his home had changed, her feelings for sokka changed much quicker.it happens in one night, underneath a colorful sky, when they are closer to one another than they had ever been before.
Relationships: Azula/Sokka (Avatar), Katara/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 81





	can i show you something beautiful?

**Author's Note:**

> the way sokka and azula have had less than 10 interactions in the show and comics combined (i think) and i spent the last two days writing this for them. i may have a problem. 
> 
> anyways this would take place about 4-5 years after the war. it won’t be accurate to the comic timeline because i’ve never read them lol. 
> 
> this is post redemption arc azula because she deserved to have one and be friends with the gaang i will die on this hill. i know my writing is slightly shitty but enjoy :)

it’s a well-known fact that azula is not a fan of the cold, not at all. while she was born with a power that came from heat, she couldn’t seem to find comfort with the opposite element. she doesn’t know why; that’s just the way it is. nothing good ever comes from it.

she had always thought fire was ruthless and unforgiving. it would take until there was nothing left and nothing to give back in return. how could she have known ice and snow were different? if anything, they were worse. they were bitter and harsh.

and they would not let her sleep.

buried under layers of blankets and furs, azula tossed and turned. they couldn’t keep her warm, and neither could the fireplace, even though she was the nearest person to it. it didn’t serve its purpose. she sat up and looked around. across her feet were zuko and katara, sleeping soundly in each other’s arms; it irritated her how peaceful they looked.

to her left was sokka, whose back had been turned, but his soft snores told her she was the only one in the room who couldn’t enjoy a good night’s rest.

she envied toph and aang, who were smart enough to decline zuko’s offer of a one week trip to the southern water tribe. other than her brother’s weak excuse of wanting his family to meet katara’s, there was no actual reason for her to be there. she remembers how nice it was to hear the first time, and how nice it felt to know she had her brother again, but, had she known the place would be this intolerable, she would’ve pushed down that small, pleasant feeling and laughed in his face.

mornings in the south pole weren’t any better: the frosty air still bit her skin, and no amount of bundling up helped. there was nothing she could do for enjoyment, so all her time was spent inside, in the same spot she was in now, constantly shivering for warmth. azula gave up on her attempts to sleep, but she was still tired. she wrapped the blankets around her shoulders and positioned her body to face the fireplace. without a moment to waste, she shut her eyes, leaning her head against the wall.

she listened to the howl of the wind; it was low, almost haunting, and had been going on for hours. there was no way for her to track or tell time, but she knew it was still far from daylight. her teeth continued to chatter and her shoulders slightly shook; she would not be sleeping that night. azula let out an aggravated sigh and slammed herself down on the bed.

“can’t believe i agreed to come here,” she mumbled to herself. zuko and katara came into vision once again, and, driven by jealousy and annoyance, she thought out loud, “i should burn those two. maybe then i’ll be a bit warmer.”

“i feel like there are steps you can take before resorting to murder.”

azula jumped.

sokka was awake now. he was staring at the ceiling, the top half of his body exposed to the air, and her face scrunched at the sight of it. she knew this was his environment, but still, it puzzled her mind how someone could withstand these conditions.

he turned to face her. “can’t sleep.”

it was more of a statement than a question.

“is it obvious?” she responded. the room was almost dark, save for the bit of moonlight shining through the window between their beds. his face was in the shadows, but she swore she saw a smirk find its way to his lips.

she turned to her side and they met eyes.

“you’re freezing.”

“good observation.” he chuckled lightly, but there was nothing amusing about her discomfort. she rolled her eyes and, upon noticing, he sighed.

“azula, you’re underneath five blankets and seven feet away from the fireplace. i don’t understand how you could still be so cold.”

“and i don’t understand how you could bear to live here,” she grumbled in response.

at that, he sat up, propping himself on his elbows. “what do you mean?”

azula scoffed. he raised a brow, then it dawned on her that he was actually asking a question.

“i mean, this place is unbearable!” she looked across the room to check on zuko and katara. her voice may have been louder than she intended, but those two managed to sleep through it. she rolled her eyes again.

“well, what’s so unbearable about it?”

she almost laughed at how serious he sounded. maybe he didn’t understand because he’d lived here all his life, he’d grown used to these circumstances. but azula was not used to it, and she would never get used to it.

“everything,” she hissed, “the weather is always the same. it’s cold and white and stupid and nothing has changed since we’ve arrived. there isn’t a single moment during the day or night where i’m not freezing and no amount of wrapping my body in coats and furs is helping. there’s literally nothing to do here, and this place is ugly.”

she finished her rant in a huff. it was quiet between them; the only noise being the sound of her heavy breathing, chest rising and falling with every gasp of air. she waited for him to say something.

then, he quietly laughed. her brow raised in confusion, anger following the action. she opened her mouth to retaliate, but he beat her to it. 

“azula, you’ve only been here for three days. you’re not even trying to have a good time—”

“you’re right, i’m not.”

sokka dropped his head and sighed. “look, you have to give this place a chance. i know you’re not used to the weather, but you have to work with it. you think zuko’s first visit here was any better?” sokka chuckled at the memory. “your brother practically lived next to that fireplace! and going out, he would wear ten times the amount of clothes you do. but he learned to cope with it eventually, and i know you will, too.”

she looked away. her vision went to the foot of her bed, but, before doing so, she noticed him glancing at her, pleadingly. “listen, all i’m saying is it takes some getting used to.”

“i told you sokka, this place is ugly,” she spat, “there’s nothing worth getting used to.”

he frowned. azula didn’t see it, but she felt a sense of guilt that immediately followed her statement. perhaps she’d been too harsh; this was his home, after all, and it probably wasn’t the best feeling to hear someone speak that way about it.

she watched him from the corner of her eye, expecting him to turn away and go back to sleep, maybe even argue with her. she knew there were a lot of things about the fire nation that he hated, and she waited for him to say it, but he didn’t. instead, she heard shuffling beside her.

sokka stood next to her bed, towering over her with a slight smile on his face. he held out his hand. “come with me.”

“wha—”

“azula,” he pressed, leaning down to level his face with hers, “come with me.”

there was a glimmer in his eyes that she trusted, so she took his hand. he pulled her out of bed, blankets falling to the floor with a soft thud. she gasped, and her arms immediately came up to rub her sides.

they moved across the room together, azula’s tiny body shaking at his side. he looked down at her, and would have laughed, had there not been a murderous glare on her face that still frightened him. sokka left her by the door, and, in the few seconds he spent grabbing them jackets, she realized what he was doing.

“you’re taking me outside? now?”

“yes,” he responded, helping her into the thickest coat he could find. he quickly shrugged on his own and shuffled to the door. his hand was just hovering above the knob when she pulled on his free arm; he turned, and the look on her face caused his shoulders to slump.

“i am not going,” she stated, “did you not hear anything i told you ten minutes ago? i’m freezing cold. in here. why would you make me go out there, where it’s worse?”

he tilted his head. “can’t you trust me? i’m taking you to see something.”

“why?”

“because you said this place is ugly,” he grabbed her again, opening the door. she stepped back, but he tugged her forward. “and i’m going to prove you wrong.”

-

azula peeked behind her; they were moving further away from his village and into the open mass of ice and snow. sokka still held her hand. he was a few steps ahead, leading them to a location he had yet to tell her.

she could hardly feel her face. or her fingers. or her toes. or any part of her body, really. she would’ve openly complained about it if her lips didn’t feel frozen shut. her body trembled inside the jacket with every step forward; she expelled short breaths and watched as cold air came out of her mouth and nose.

after about fifteen minutes, sokka stopped moving. azula bumped into his shoulder, but caught herself before she could fall. he looked around: front, back, left, right, then up.

he smiled. “we’re here.”

“if i could feel my hands, i’d set you on fire right now.” she yanked away from his grip.

they were in the middle of nowhere. white plains filled her vision, and the lack of movement was causing the cold to settle in much quicker. azula fumed with anger. she was making her way back towards the tribe when sokka grabbed her hands again and pulled her body beside his.

“look up.”

she wanted to say no. the word was on the tip of her tongue, but never rolled off. there was a hint of excitement in his voice that intrigued her, so, very reluctantly, she listened. her temper subsided as she did what he asked, and a soft gasp escaped her lips.

“see?” he mumbled, “told you i’d prove you wrong.”

she moved in front of him. 

azula had heard of the aurora borealis before, heard of the lights that decorated the sky, but she was never given the opportunity to see them for herself until now. its beauty was breathtaking; she looked at colors she’d never seen before. they danced around the heavens in harmony, and suddenly, she felt lucky to be there.

the cool air crept beneath the layers and picked at her skin, but, for the first time that visit, she tried to disregard it. she tried to ignore her discomfort and its attempts at ruining the moment, but her body simply couldn’t. azula didn’t notice she was shaking, but she didn’t care. she didn’t even know until sokka came from behind, wrapping his arms around her trembling frame, and kept her still. 

she leaned her head against his chest. an overwhelming sense of warmth shot throughout her body, and she grinned.

“you know they say the lights can change people?” his voice was soft, comforting, “that the experience sorta helps you see things differently from how you did before? when you really think about that it’s kind of … ” he trailed off.

“nice,” she finished. “is that why you took me here? to see things differently?”

there was a shy smile on his lips. “i guess you could say that,” he looks down at her for a second, “i just want you to be happy here.”

azula still did not like the cold, and she would probably never fully shake away that sentiment. but she did like this; she liked the moment they were having, standing below the atmosphere together. they were so close to one another. and physically, it had occurred many times before, but not like this. there was more to the way he held her, the way she fit so comfortably in his grasp.

_i just want you to be happy here._

it was funny, almost, to know that hardly an hour ago, things were different. how wrong had she been to say nothing good could come from here. she had sokka to thank for it: him and his need to prove her wrong. azula took it as a gesture of kindness and, perhaps, a little more than that.

everything negative she had connected to the south pole leaves her mind, replaced with this memory and a terrifying new feeling.

she wonders if her old self would have allowed this to happen, if her old self would have allowed her to be this vulnerable. the answer comes quick. the person she was years ago would see this as a moment of weakness. she wouldn’t let this situation happen, much less submit herself to those feelings. but azula was not that person anymore. she worked hard for who she is now, and she deserves this happiness.

for a second, she averted her gaze from the colors and looked at him. in the five years she’s known the boy, she’d never seen him this way before. her cheeks are burning hot and she was fighting the urge to do something with her lips, something stupid. instead, she nuzzled herself deeper into his chest, letting out a soft sigh when it registers in her head that he’s allowing her to do that.

“thank you for showing me this,” she whispered. without being fully aware of what she was doing, she slipped her hand back into his. “it’s beautiful.”

azula gave her attention back to the illuminated sky. the look in her eyes glowed almost as bright as the aurora, and, at that sight, a smile found its way to sokka’s lips. he was aware of how things could change in a night, within minutes of being with someone. what he wasn’t aware of was how quickly it could happen. 

he knew there was something different between him and azula now, something shifted. and it didn’t happen because of the lights, it happened because of him; he didn’t mean to do it, but he doesn’t mind, either.

his home, his people, his tribe—they’re the best parts of him. they’re his heart, and, when he took azula to the center of it all, he let her in. it is easy and doesn’t feel new. 

he wonders why it doesn’t feel as scary as it should’ve, then it hits him: maybe she’s already been there. azula had unknowingly made her way into his heart before, but she stays this time. he doesn’t let her out because, now, they are both aware. now, they want it.

there is a familiar feeling rising in his chest, one he’d just then realized he had only ever gotten during certain moments with the girl he held so tight; but, he doesn’t push it away anymore. he knows what it is, and he accepts it.

“yes,” sokka finally replies, except, he isn’t looking at the lights.

he’s looking at her. “beautiful.”


End file.
